Jeff Carlson Organic Golf Course Superintendant Martha's Vineyard (Photo linked to Source)
Vineyard Golf Club is a private golf course located in Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. As one of the most environmentally sensitive golf courses ever built in the United States, the Vineyard Golf Club is a unique and exciting venture. Nestled among 235 acres, it is the newest private golf course on the Island. Opening day was May 22nd, 2002. The course, designed by Donald Steel, is a true representation of his style. As a traditional links style course it uses the natural undulations in the ground, has sodded, revetted walled bunkers and has trees around the holes much like a picture frame.
In the maintenance program, conventional pesticides have been replaced with bio-stimulants and composted fertilizers. In January, 2008, Jeff Carlson, Golf Course Superintendent, received the President's Award for Environmental Stewardship from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. He was previously awarded the "Environmental Leader in Golf’" for Private Clubs from Golf Digest/GCSAA.
The Clubhouse features a dramatic entry with a curved balcony all in natural birch paneling. The floors are hand scraped and hand beveled custom-made wide plank hickory. Beautifully furnished rooms complete the very high-end finishing throughout the building. The Dining Room is reputed to be one of the finest on the Island. http://www.vineyardgolf.com/
AUDIO: The Vineyard Golf Club 7 Years of Organic Management 2010
Compost Tea Bad Results: CompostTea
Milky Spores Bad Results: JeffCarlsonMilkySpores
Insect Damage would cause job loss on Conventional Golf Course: LosingJobBadInsectDamage
Predators: Trap Skunks – Kill all Birds: Shoot or Eliminate : PredatorDamgeonGreens
All Mature Trees Need to be Cut Down – 100% Sunlight for Organic Turf Required : CutDownAllTreesandLysimeter)
Pre Emergent Weed Control Saves Millions of Dollars : HandWeeding2800DollarsanAcre GTI Superintendent in Residence public lecture_0 (10).mp3
Waupomi Hot Water/Foam System for Non Selevtive : Crabgrass / Weeds – Carbon Footprint issues – PlanB Waupomi GTI Superintendent in Residence public lecture_0 (12).mp3
Organics : OrganicPainfullProcessSyntheticPreferredGTI Superintendent in Residence public lecture_0 (14).mp3
HomeOwners Up in Arms, Spiked Groundwater Levels : SpikedWaterSamplesSubDivison20ppmNitrate GTI Superintendent in Residence public lecture_0 (4).mp3
Synthetics Preferred: CantDialinOrganicFertsGTI Superintendent in Residence public lecture_0 (16).mp3
Annual Blue Grass: AnnualBlueGrassNotForOrganics of GTI Superintendent in Residence public lecture_0 (6).mp3
Vineyard Golf Course Not 100% Organic thanks to Lysimeters : 80percentOrganicGTI Superintendent in Residence public lecture_0 (8).mp3
ACTIVISTS : ActivistsGroupsSinginginClassroomsGTI Superintendent in Residence public lecture_0 (2).mp3
Have you heard the songs?
No, I haven't. I would give anything to hear a recording of them. But they were basically, you know, "The new Vineyard Golf Club is going to ruin the world." The opposition was very strong, emotional and passionate. Someone told us that we were deader than a snake in a wagon-wheel rut.
http://www.invasive.org/gist/tools/hotfoam.html
Lysimeters used on Effluent Drain Exit Points – All Ponds and Turf Areas are Lined for containment purposes.
Lysimeter Definition: "A device for collecting water from the pore spaces of soils and for determining the soluble constituents removed in the drainage". Early devices, called pan lysimeters, collected soil water as it percolated down via gravity through saturated soils. The major limiting factor of a pan lysimeter was that fluids could only be gathered under saturated gravity flow.
Weed Control is not possible at a reasonable cost :
The golf course staff are “seen as environmental pioneers, with many in the golf industry examining their methods,” the story says. The techniques used at the course are seen as a possible template for chem-junkie golf courses across the country that rely too heavily on pesticides and fertilizers and oceans of water for those picture-perfect, green fairways.
The concept at the Vineyard Golf Club is “alternative maintenance techniques:” more disease-resistant grass, the ability to kill weeds with boiling water and remove moss with kitchen dish detergent and to keep bad turf grubs at bay, the story said.
Oh, in case you’re wondering, the cost of membership at the Vineyard Golf Club? The initiation fee is $350,000 with annual dues of $12,000, the Times story reveals. But as a condition of its original construction, 125 island residents must be accepted as members with no initiation fee and annual dues of $725.
TREES BEFORE:
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